


No Gentleman Callers or Backseat Bingo

by Nocticola



Series: Ace/Aro characters [24]
Category: Ars Paradoxica (Podcast)
Genre: Aromantic Character, Asexual Character, Canon Aromantic Character, Canon Asexual Character, Episode 16 Greenhouse, Episode 29 The Odyssey, Gen, the fic is so-so but I love my title
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2018-04-27
Packaged: 2019-01-25 18:59:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12538940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nocticola/pseuds/Nocticola
Summary: Esther Roberts: An ex recently told me the same thing.Sally Grissom: Ouch, really? When?ER: When we were in New York we met for drinks, and one thing led to another… But when it was done she told me that’s why we didn’t stay together.--SG: She, huh?ER: …What?SG: You just said she.ER: No– no I didn’t!SG: You did.ER: I said he, I–SG: That explains… a lot of things.ER: You can’t tell anyone, Sally. Please, PLEASE don’t tell anyone.SG: Relax! You don’t have to worry about that with me. I’m asexual, I get it.ER: You’re a what?SG: Okay. You know how most ladies you meet are really into men? But you, obviously, are into women. I’m not really into anyone.ER: …Really? So, sex–SG: It’s never really done it for me. Like, it’s nice, or whatever, but… I’ve got bigger stuff to think about, y’know? But that means I’m an outlier. Outside of the traditional system. So I get what it’s like.16. Greenhouse





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Esther Roberts: An ex recently told me the same thing.  
> Sally Grissom: Ouch, really? When?  
> ER: When we were in New York we met for drinks, and one thing led to another… But when it was done she told me that’s why we didn’t stay together.--  
> SG: She, huh?  
> ER: …What?  
> SG: You just said she.  
> ER: No– no I didn’t!  
> SG: You did.  
> ER: I said he, I–  
> SG: That explains… a lot of things.  
> ER: You can’t tell anyone, Sally. Please, PLEASE don’t tell anyone.  
> SG: Relax! You don’t have to worry about that with me. I’m asexual, I get it.  
> ER: You’re a what?  
> SG: Okay. You know how most ladies you meet are really into men? But you, obviously, are into women. I’m not really into anyone.  
> ER: …Really? So, sex–  
> SG: It’s never really done it for me. Like, it’s nice, or whatever, but… I’ve got bigger stuff to think about, y’know? But that means I’m an outlier. Outside of the traditional system. So I get what it’s like.  
> 16\. Greenhouse

If Sally is honest, she's not sure whether 20xx or 1940s is more home to her. She's been displaced in time for so long that she doesn't know whether she even could get adjusted to her original time. Not to mention what must have happened to her original timeline. (That is probably why she hesitated with Nikhil. Shame that her fear ended up getting him killed) But something she is thankful for 20xx is terminology, language. Labels.

Sally didn't always know she's asexual and aromantic. Partly because she was so busy being otherwise off putting and nerdy that no one really showed interest in her. And she was so into science, it's like she forgot to have crushes and want sex. But of course that is not the case. You don't just forget to have physical or romantic interest in other people. Her colleagues always seem to have made time for it.

And it's not that she didn't eventually try. There have been people who showed interest in her, and a few times she decided to give sex a go. It was nice enough, but Sally really has more important things to do than... backseat bingo. The *terms* people come up with for intercourse can be really amusing, though.

She's never really felt like her life was lacking something. She was happy to have labels, because Sally loves labels, naming things and explaining them. She's glad to have words to tell Esther who she is, even if she has to give a cliffnotes presentation right after. It will be a while until people like her will have labels. She feels sad for her contemporary aces and aros who lack the words to tell people, tell *themselves* who they are.

Those are the things she misses the most probably. Explanations for being.


	2. Episode 29 The Odyssey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AroAce Sally Grissom struggles with it and with losing her bi/pan BFF Nikhil Sharma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SG: Nah. I’m ace. It’s–and I literally could not stress this enough–it's nothing personal.
> 
> SG: But we’re still friends, right? I think that this all counts for something. I dunno, we’ve only been together a short time, but, I’ve...had a lot of fun with you, Sharma.
> 
> NS: Awwww, I love you too, Sally!
> 
> SG: Come on I’m trying to be serious here. I’m saying —
> 
> NS: Friendships are just as meaningful as romance, I'm saying the same thing you are!
> 
> SG: Exactly! I wish people saw that more. But then again, love makes you do crazy things. Have I told you about Partridge? Man, what a mess. Even Jack Wyatt running off with Penny Wise. Am I... am I ever gonna care about someone that much?
> 
> NS: Definitely that much, maybe just not that... way . You can still love someone without, you know. Loving them.

It's not like Sally has had to come out that many times. Even in the 21st century not that many people necessarily know what ace is, and sometimes when you're a weird, not that social, scientist, the topic just doesn't come up.

But even though Nikhil's seductation attempt ends in spectacular failure leading to lot of mutual embarassment, it's so fucking nice to meet someone who doesn't need a cliffnotes presentation on asexuality when she does. 

Even though she considers some of the people she works with as her friends, and she's adjusted to this timeframe, it's so great to have someone who is also from 20█. She never thought roadtrip movies could be so accurate, but they are. One trip is all it took for Sally and Nikhil to become BFFs. 

Hearing the way Nikhil talked about Mateo, all that love and trust and sneaking around, it does make Sally a tiny bit melancholic. She'll never have *that*. It's not that she especially even *wants* that, but she can't help being affected by society telling her that's what she should want, the people around her doing all this insane stuff for romantic love. Usually she's happy-ish the way she is, but sometimes it gets to her.

But Nikhil *gets* her, her point about all the different types of love and it feels so *validating*. It's what convinces her to go along with Nikhil's plan. It's what gets him dead. 

♤♤♤♤ 

During the years when Sally thought Nikhil was dead, remembering him dying in her arms, the nightmares and therapy, she is almost surprised by the intensity of her reaction. Of course there's the guilt, and homesickness, the feeling of ripped connection, but considering she only knew Nikhil for mere days, the amount of time she spent missing him feels out of whack. 

But when she finds out years later that his death was faked, that he's alive and reasonably well, that she can hugs him and talk to him again, and even though Sally had no part in any rescue mission for him, she feels like maybe Nikhil was right. Maybe she does care as much as anyone else. Because even though she doesn't want to do the backseat bingo with him. Even though she hopes he will eventually get to be with his adorable Mateo. Even when she yells at him. All of it doesn't mean she hasn't missed him like crazy during all these years and when she finally hugs him, she's not sure she wants to let him go. 


End file.
